Father's Video About Racist Taunts Aimed At Son Attracts Support From Grass Valley Police
GRASS VALLEY (CBS13) - An upset father's Facebook post went viral, triggering a heart-warming reaction from Grass Valley police.
Grass Valley resident Jamal Walker posted a video about his son being harassed by three men. Walker says his son was walking along Mill Street when the men drove up to him and called him the "n-word."
A day later, two Grass Valley police officers showed up at Walker's restaurant, offering support.
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"It's just written all over his face how painful that is...for people to say dehumanizing things to you," said Jamal Walker.
Walker came home Tuesday to learn his 16-year old son had been the victim of racially-motivated harassment.
"They followed him from one end of the block to the next and then to the next block. Nobody wants their kid to go through that," Walker added.
Upset, Walker posted a video on Facebook to bring awareness to the racism his son experienced in his hometown of Grass Valley. The video went viral in a matter of hours. And among the viewers, Grass Valley's own police chief Alex Gammelgard.
"It was a feeling of disappointment in our community," said Gammelgard.
The very next day, the chief sent two officers down to Summer Thymes, where Walker works, to show their support.
"It takes a community to heal a community, to change our norms and we want to be there for Jamal and his family. As a police department, this is unacceptable," said Chief Gammelgard.
Walker says he's blessed to live in such a tight-knit community where he can have a close relationship with police.
"My son has a couple of officers in town here that want to establish a relationship with him and let him know they have his back," said Walker.
As for the three men, Walker says he hopes they find peace and love.
"The parent in me would want to go upside their heads. The healer in me would have a different response," said Walker, choking up.
Grass Valley police are now looking for surveillance to try to track the men down.
There will be a "love walk" Friday in response to the incident; it starts at 5 p.m. in front of in front of the Del Oro Theater on Mill Street.
